Robert Jefferson Adams passed away suddenly on May 17th 2025. He was born October 6th, 1943 in Hinesville, Ga., the son of John Jefferson Adams and Emma Hart Adams and younger brother to Hannah Adams. Robert grew up in Darlington, South Carolina and graduated from St. John’s High School in 1961. Following graduation, he joined the U.S. Navy as a hospital corpsman.While attending laboratory technician school at Bethesda Naval Hospital he stood guard around the hospital when President Kennedy arrived after being assassinated. He was among the thousands of mourners who paid their respects to the president in the capitol rotunda.
Robert spent four years as an enlisted corpsman, then left the navy and went on to graduate from California State University, Long Beach. He then attended the Medical University of South Carolina, graduating in 1979 with his MD degree. While a senior medical student, he volunteered to do relief work with Cambodian refugees on the Thailand/Cambodian border. Robert rejoined the Navy and served as a family practice physician and later a navy flight surgeon. He was deployed on the USS Coral Sea and the USS Iwo Jima. He served as senior medical officer on the USS Enterprise. Robert was proud to be a “mustang”, a term for a military officer who began their career as an enlisted person. Robert ended his career at the rank of captain on Whidbey Island WA where he resided for 30 years.
Robert had two early marriages and from them became the father of two children, Dawna and Lyde. Robert married Mary Jo Drake in 1984 and they had been married 40 years at the time of his passing. Often inseparable, Robert and Mary Jo enjoyed exploring national parks and traveling.
Robert was a reserved and humble man who loved his family. He was an avid NASCAR fan and rarely missed watching a race, having his wife and son make audio tapes of the race coverage and mail them to him while he was deployed at sea. After he retired, he took up scuba diving and attained a private pilot’slicense. He was very honored to have met Bill Anders, one of the first Apollo astronauts to orbit the moon.
Robert is survived by his wife Mary Jo, his daughter Dawna Dinsdale (Clint), son Lyde (Amy), granddaughters Koryn Jones, Samantha Espinoza, Alyssa Adams, Sydney Adams, and Emily Adams. He is also survived by five great grandchildren. Family members who predeceased him included his parents, sister Hannah, and“cousin who was like a brother”Robert Lide Hart Jr.
Robert will be buried at Sunnyside Cemetery near Coupeville, WA. Memorial contributions can be directed to Whidbey Animals Improvement Foundation, Sno-Isle Regional Library System, Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, or the charity of your choice.
